1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for expanding data, and more particularly to a data expanding method applicable to a digital camera wherein an expansion process is vertically performed on a plurality of blocks included in compressed image data.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a disclosure as one example of a digital camera employing a data expanding method of this kind in Japanese Patent Application No. H8-226758 [H04N 9/00] filed on Aug. 28, 1996. In this prior art, the compressed image data, recorded by compression according to a JPEG format, is expanded by using a memory having a 1-screen capacity so that the expanded image data is outputted through scanning in a vertical direction. Accordingly, where the expanded image is printed out by a page printer having a vertically-arranged printhead, the page printer does not require a memory for storing the expanded image data.
However, this technology requires the provision of a memory having a 1-screen capacity within the digital camera. That is, the compressed image data is configured by a plurality of blocks. The expansion of a certain block essentially requires another horizontally-preceding block. Consequently, when the expanded image data is to be vertically scanned over, expansion must be completed over one screen, thus requiring a memory with a capacity of as large as 1 screen.